It's perfect with the EverythingToolbar. Can't go without it
"Everything" is a filename search engine for Windows
61–70 of 103 posts
Re: "Everything" is a filename search engine for Windows
#62Note that while the default download is for the stable version (1.4), 1.5 alpha (which adds a lot of features) has been available since 2021 and very stable in my experience.
Re: "Everything" is a filename search engine for Windows
#63Search in Windows is THE indicator of how poorly Microsoft has maintained their core operating system, IMO. What could be more significant over the last 20 years than "search", and where does there exist a worst implementation of it in a major piece of software? Everything really puts a spotlight on this with how simple and effective it is.
It drives me bonkers that when I hit the Windows key and type "bash", the first suggestion is always "Git Bash", which I have never used, when I truly want it to just run "bash" from WSL, which is not only a perfect text match, but actually gets used. But not only is "bash" not the first result, it's not even the second, third, or fourth. Between the "Best match" of "Git Bash" and the actual "bash" command is 10 web…
It's the opposite for me. I don't use bash.exe on my Windows machine and it is the first match when I type "bash". "Git Bash" is the second best match. I have no other results. Windows 10 Home Edition 10.0.19045.
Re: "Everything" is a filename search engine for Windows
#64Search in Windows is THE indicator of how poorly Microsoft has maintained their core operating system, IMO. What could be more significant over the last 20 years than "search", and where does there exist a worst implementation of it in a major piece of software? Everything really puts a spotlight on this with how simple and effective it is.
I agree that searching on Windows sucks but I guess there is a trade-off to be made. You can use very abstract APIs that will work for all kinds of file systems, whether a local disks, a DVD, a USB connected phone, or a network drive, but it will be slow and limited because you can only rely on the lowest common denominator. On the other end of the spectrum you can build highly specialized functionality that can be f…
Lol, Windows search doesn't suck because of the filesystems it supports. I can only assume you're a Linux or Mac user who has never used the Windows menu before, as quite literally anyone who has seen it would not come to such a conclusion. I envy you, so I will not taint your view of reality with an actual description of why it is so universally hated.
Re: "Everything" is a filename search engine for Windows
#65Microsoft should buy them out and add bing to get a bang for the buck. Building functional software as a ex tortion tool for intentionally dysfunctional ecosystems. 2024..
When I was at Microsoft I already knew the answer but asked around - just to be sure - and the reason is…. *drumroll* …It bypasses NTFS ACLs (because it works by indexing the raw MFT) Microsoft sells Windows as secure/securable OS: filesystem permissions must be enforced (of course, FS ACLs are a huge part of the reason why Windows’ files-on-disk UX isn’t the best). Yes, Microsoft could still buy it and then redistri…
Eh, it's easy to work around: run as a system service, and filter results when returning to client that queried it.
More likely they don't like it because it's clever hack and filesystem developers would be aghast at it - but hey, if it works 100x better than built-in search maybe it isn't that bad at all.
Re: "Everything" is a filename search engine for Windows
#66Windows search already has an index and query interface for filenames built in. Why reindex?
Re: "Everything" is a filename search engine for Windows
#67Earlier quoted context omitted.
How does it maintain the index then? Isn't using the Windows indexing service the reason it works so fast?
It reads the MFT. Then it stores its own index in a file called 'everything.db' which I am pretty sure is a sqlite file. I don't think the windows indexing service is utilized at all.
Correct, you can turn off windows search index if you want to use everything instead.
Re: "Everything" is a filename search engine for Windows
#68I think a lot of people in these comments are (intentionally?) missing the fact that Windows search returns the results that Microsoft prefers. It’s no secret that Windows search has been remarkably awful for a very long time. Like many features in Windows, especially within the last decade, these features are “for” Microsoft and their non-captive customers, they are not for you, the user.
Re: "Everything" is a filename search engine for Windows
#69It's funny: I cannot install Everything on my work computer, despite the fact that my productivity would easily be 3000% higher with it.
Try the portable version. Works at my workplace
Re: "Everything" is a filename search engine for Windows
#70I think a lot of people in these comments are (intentionally?) missing the fact that Windows search returns the results that Microsoft prefers. It’s no secret that Windows search has been remarkably awful for a very long time. Like many features in Windows, especially within the last decade, these features are “for” Microsoft and their non-captive customers, they are not for you, the user.
You might be surprised by this but there is a non trivial contingent that believes they’re doing the best that they possibly can. You go to them and say MS search sucks and instead of ‘I know and I’m ashamed’ you just get an avalanche of documents to prove that it doesn’t suck. It’s staggering the extent that MS has been brain drained.